After three years of championing blogging, I was stunned to realize that it’s actually a small part of what I do, and that part is shrinking daily.

Am I suggesting that blogging is dead? No, but it is changing.

It used to be that a blog and a decent SEO strategy was sufficient to build a profitable blog presence. Now, you need to surround your blog with a supporting cast of marketing tools to magnify your blogging efforts. There’s just too much competition to take a “post and hope” strategy. You need more.

Where Do You Start?

Think of your blog as the dining room in your marketing mansion.

Guests congregate there, discuss various topics and engage with the host. Like most dining rooms, it’s considered awkward or rude to sell at the dinner table. These pitches are meant for the back deck, the game room, or even offer an after-dinner coffee at the kitchen counter.

For example, I rarely offer products in blog posts (the dining table) but I work hard to move the conversation to my email list where I can be “a little” more direct. Email subscribers have raised their hands and volunteered for a side conversation. That’s why 60% of my time is spent on building email campaigns and expert products to keep my subscribers happy and coming back to the blog.

Next, focus on building entertaining spots where your audience can see a different side of your personality and hear your story in a unique way.

Many top bloggers have quietly shifted the bulk of their content publishing to iTunes Podcasts, Google Hangouts, and Webinars.

Last, plant your best content in Amazon via Kindle ebooks, traditional publishing, and guest posts on influential publications in your niche. This content works like a traveling salesman encouraging readers to head over to your blog.

Content is Not Enough – The Story is King

They say content is king. I’ve always been a bit uncomfortable with this adage. It felt too abstract. I’ve also visited many useless blogs filled with good but random content.

On the other hand, blogs based on a strong business or personal stories are able to make each piece of content work harder. It’s not a coincidence that top blogs have vocal, creative, and fearless storytellers at the helm.

One more point, you don’t have to be Conan to have a successful blog.

A boring company can tell a great story to the right reader. A ball bearing collector is very interested in a ball bearing manufacturer’s story, even though it might bore you to tears.

Broaden Your Perspective

Make your list of marketing tactics. How is each item contributing to spreading your unique story? Blogging is just your first step. Make sense? Talk to me below.

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About Stan

Stan Smith is the CEO of Pushing Social a content marketing consultancy for aggressive, results-focused organizations.